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100004

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Unpaid Work
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent proposal by the Child Poverty and Social Justice Commission that unpaid internships should be illegal.
tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
uin	HL2219
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is absolutely clear: exploitation of interns is unacceptable and we don’t hesitate to act where we find that employment law has been broken and someone who is entitled to the minimum wage hasn’t been paid it.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints from interns about non-payment of the minimum wage are prioritised by HMRC for investigation and HMRC will investigate every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Research shows that internships and work experience programmes can be valuable opportunities for young people taking their first steps in the labour market. Our work on interns and the National Minimum Wage aims to achieve the right balance between ensuring that opportunities for young people are not cut off and minimising the risk of exploitation.</p><p> </p><p>Our concern, if we were to prohibit unpaid internships, is that this may lead to employers recruiting interns through informal and privileged networks with adverse effects on social mobility or have adverse consequences on the number of available opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>There is no definition of an internship in minimum wage legislation and interns are considered in the same way as everyone else with regards to whether the minimum wage is due. The key issue is whether or not they are workers as defined by minimum wage legislation. If they are, then they are eligible for the minimum wage unless a specific exemption applies. Volunteers are not workers and are not eligible for the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 29/10/2014 16:15:22 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

93704

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	North Sea Oil
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total revenue they have received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil.
tabling member printed	Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
uin	HL2133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>Government revenues from UK oil and gas production for all years to 2013-14 are published by HM Revenue &amp; Customs (HMRC) as National Statistics on the GOV.UK website[1]. Total revenues can be found in Table 11.11 from the <em>Statistics of Government revenues from UK oil and gas production</em> publication[2].</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The values in Table 11.11 are detailed in current prices, so for previous years they do not reflect the value of total revenue today. The total revenue received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil is £187.8 billion in current prices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/petroleum-revenue-tax-prt-and-government-revenues-from-uk-oil-and-gas-production</p><p>[2] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 29/10/2014 15:24:02 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton attachment 1 file name t11.11 gov revenue.docx title Government revenues from oil and gas production
tabling member	1651 label Biography information for Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

93409

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European Union member states about scaling up the resettlement programme for refugees displaced by fighting in Syria and Iraq; and what is their policy in regard to applications for asylum from displaced Yezidis and Christians from those countries.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2075
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government believes that humanitarian aid and actively seeking to end the conflicts in Syria and Iraq are the most effective ways for the UK to help the majority of refugees, rather than increasing resettlement. We have made our position on this clear in relevant discussions with other EU Member States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We are aware that EU Member States have responded to the crises in different ways; it is right that the international community should consider all available means to relieve the suffering of the Syrian and Iraqi peoples. However, the UK’s overall contribution stands comparison with any in the world.</p><p> </p><p>To date we have committed £700 million to the Syrian relief effort, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the USA, and £23 million in aid to Iraq. UK funding is helping hundred of thousands of refugees; compared with aid, resettlement can only ever support a comparatively small number of people in need. We also support efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict, and we are working with the Iraqi government and the international community to tackle the threat posed by IS and promote an inclusive, sovereign and democratic Iraq which will protect all Iraqi citizens.</p><p> </p><p>To complement our humanitarian aid, we operate the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme to relocate to the UK the most vulnerable displaced Syrians who cannot be supported effectively in the long term in the region. In addition, the Government carefully considers each asylum application lodged in the UK, including those made by Syrian and Iraqi nationals on the grounds of religious persecution, on its individual merits, to ensure we grant protection to those who genuinely need it.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/10/2014 12:30:23 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

93411

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current rate of support provided to asylum seekers; and how many of those who receive such support they estimate to live below the poverty line.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL2077
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government ensures that asylum seekers are not left destitute by providing accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs.</p><p>The table below sets out the current weekly allowances provided to asylum seekers and various categories of dependants that may also be supported.</p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>LEVELS OF CASH SUPPORT FROM 18 APRIL 2011</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>£</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td>SINGLE PERSON</td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aged 18 or over (excluding lone parent)</p></td><td><p>36.62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aged 25 years or over (excluding lone parent), where the decision to provide cash support was made before 5 October 2009 and the person reached age 25 prior to that date.</p></td><td><p>42.62</p></td></tr><tr><td>QUALIFYING COUPLES</td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Both 18 years or over</p></td><td><p>72.52</p></td></tr><tr><td>LONE PARENT AGE 18 OR OVER</td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Age 18 or over</p></td><td><p>43.94</p></td></tr><tr><td>PERSONAL ALLOWANCE FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN</td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Person aged under 16</p></td><td><p>52.96</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Person aged 16 but under 18 (except where the person is a member of a Qualifying Couple)</p></td><td><p>39.80</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p></td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Government has reviewed the allowances and concluded that the allowances are sufficient to cover the essential needs of asylum seekers and their families.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/10/2014 15:47:49 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

93414

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Asylum: English Language
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance is given to successful asylum seekers who wish to learn English.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL2080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Refugees recognised by the UK Government, along with their husband, wife, civil partner and children, are eligible for funding to attend an English for Speakers of Other Languages course. The level of funding is determined by existing eligibility rules, which are set out in the Skills Funding Agency’s rules at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287917/Funding_rules_2014_15.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287917/Funding_rules_2014_15.pdf</a>. Education and skills funding is devolved and the eligibility criteria apply to England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Those isolated by their lack of English can also access pre-entry level English training through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s £6million Community-Based English Language programme, which offers tuition to 24,000 adults most isolated by their lack of English in 29 target areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 27/10/2014 16:44:21 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

93426

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the total annual cost of imprisoning foreign national offenders in United Kingdom prisons in each of the last four calendar years.
tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
uin	HL2092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not calculate separately the annual cost of imprisoning foreign nationals in England and Wales. NOMS does not analyse cost by prisoner nationality, as costs recorded on the NOMS central accounting system do not allow identification of costs attributable to holding individual prisoners.</p><p>All prison costs for Scotland and Northern Ireland are a devolved matter and the responsibility of the relevant Minister.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 28/10/2014 17:19:53 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

93430

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many individuals in defined contribution funded public sector pension schemes will withdraw their entire accrued entitlements under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioner arrangements in the first year from April 2015, and at what cost.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2097 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93431

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that delaying transfer payments and reducing transfer values are sufficient safeguards to stabilise public sector funded pension schemes threatened by large-scale withdrawals under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioners arrangements.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2097
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93432

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under their proposed entire pension withdrawal arrangements, they will include in the legislation a power to suspend the concession for such schemes in the event of serious destabilisation of funded public service pension schemes or extreme cost to the Exchequer.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93433

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the key difference between trust-based and contract-based public sector defined contribution schemes in relation to the proposed pension withdrawal arrangements; and what was the result of their consultation with the Local Government Pension Scheme on extra safeguards for such trust-based schemes.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2098 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird